speleothem
Sign in to savethumb|upright=1.4|Cave labeled with the six most common types of speleothems: flowstone, columns, drapery, [[stalagmites, stalactites and straws]] A speleothem (; ) is a geological formation made by mineral deposits that accumulate over time in natural caves. They can take a variety of forms, depending on their depositional history and environment. Common forms include stalagmites, stalactites, and flowstones.
~12 min read
Encyclopedic overview
9 sectionsContents
- Chemical and physical characteristics
- Formation processes
- Climate proxies
- Types and categories
- Calthemites
- Gallery
- See also
- References
- External links
thumb|upright=1.4|Cave labeled with the six most common types of speleothems: flowstone, columns, drapery, [[stalagmites, stalactites and straws]] A speleothem (; ) is a geological formation made by mineral deposits that accumulate over time in natural caves. They can take a variety of forms, depending on their depositional history and environment. Common forms include stalagmites, stalactites, and flowstones.
Speleothems most commonly form in calcareous caves due to carbonate dissolution reactions. Their chemical composition, gradual growth, and preservation in caves make them useful paleoclimatic proxies.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “speleothem” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.